1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling an automated guided vehicle (AGV).
2. Description of Related Art
In general, an automated guided vehicle (AGV) is a caterpillar vehicle which automatically or manually carries goods or materials to a designated place in an industrial field such as a factory or the like.
The automated guided vehicle has been changed to an essential element which serves to transport components or goods in an automated product manufacturing field.
As an example of a conventional art, Korean Patent Application No. 10-1996-039379 discloses a method for finding a travel path of an AGV in which the travel path is controlled by being divided into nodes so that the shortest travel path from a departure position to a destination is determined while minimizing the blockage of the travel path.
In addition, another example of the conventional art, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2002-0037765 discloses an automated guided vehicle system in which a plurality of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) is integratedly controlled by using a single controller. This system performs an integrated control operation of the AGVs in which the position information of the respective AGVs is shared by interconnecting respective lines on which the AGVs travel as well as controls the AGVs while distributing the number of the AGVs so that the ratio of operation of a manufacturing line can be improved.
In addition, the AGV according to the prior art adopts a method in which a magnetic tape serving as a guideline is attached to a factory floor and the AGV guidably travels on the top of the magnetic tape. In other words, the AGV having the same track as that in the conventional tape guidance method includes a plurality of optical tapes or sensors mounted in a factory environment to control the operation of the AGV and check the state of the AGV.
However, the conventional AGVs entail a problem in that it costs highily to use the AGVs in an actual environment that changes frequently. Moreover, such a control method cannot efficiently a control operation of the AGVs since a higher control system does not take the current situation of each AGV into consideration. In addition, an additional device is needed to perform a specific operation or a velocity control in a specific section. Resultantly, there occurs a problem in that it is difficult to control the AGVs using the conventional tape guidance method in a place where a periodic change of a factory line occurs frequently, a place where the optical tape of a factory floor and the additional equipment are difficult to manage, or a place where the AGVs need to be safely controlled in consideration of the current situation of each AGV.